Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-04-24

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Varoufakis confident that deal with creditors 'will happen soon'

[01] Varoufakis confident that deal with creditors 'will happen soon'

He said the meeting had focused on the progress in the negotiations between Greece and the institutions, with all sides expressing a desire for agreement but also concerns at the delays given the time constraints.

"We look at the last few weeks and what we see is convergence," he said. "We have agreed that we are going to speed up the negotiations, that we will take another look at the processes."

The minister was critical of some demands made by the institutions, such as a law on foreclosures and further cuts to supplementary pensions, saying that this was something the "Greek government cannot accept in the midst of a self-reinforcing crisis."

On budget surpluses demanded by creditors in the coming years, Varoufakis said the government would not "sign on pledges regarding primary surpluses that were simply, from a macroeconomic perspective, impossible to achieve," or make promises that Greece cannot fulfil.

While conceding the differences, he also pointed to progress made, saying the two sides had come much closer on issues such as on privatisations, tax system reform and the market for goods and services.

"We consider that there will soon be a deal and that these differences will be bridged," he said.

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